


Free coffee ain't always the best thing

by sunshineandeyebrows



Category: Monsta X (Band)
Genre: A bit of swearing, Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - College/University, Fluff and Angst, I'm Bad At Tagging, M/M, as usual, but just a bit of angst, dont worry it ends disgustingly well, he would look GOOD making coffee and y'all know it, hope you have fun with this my man youve waited for some time, im pretty proud of how all of the relationships worked out, its for my dude who lives for him so, kihyun is a mother, minhyuk in xray inspired me okay, minhyun best bros foreva, monsta x ensemble i guess, ok im done, sorry - Freeform, warning for overpraising joo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-05
Updated: 2017-09-05
Packaged: 2018-12-24 01:18:00
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,599
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12001917
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunshineandeyebrows/pseuds/sunshineandeyebrows
Summary: "Hey, Lovelas. You're gonna scare him off."Minhyuk twirls around to poke Hoseok's chest with a finger, stumbling just a little. Whatever, he's an incredibly smooth creature on a normal basis."I'm not doing anything bad, you dick," okay, so Minhyuk might curse a lot more after drinking, but he was having a nice conversation over here. "Besides, he likes the attention!"He turns back to steal a glance and Jooheon seems slightly awkward, but also properly amused."I'm not that easy to scare off," he says, tilting his head to the side, which is just plainly adorable, and Minhyuk is going to puke rainbows.Actually, he might need to puke his dinner in a minute, but who would care about such trivial matters.





	Free coffee ain't always the best thing

**Author's Note:**

  * For [RollingPotato](https://archiveofourown.org/users/RollingPotato/gifts).



> for my dear bro who's having a bit of a hard time right now and doesn't really believe i love her <3

"Hello, gorgeous! Usual thing?"

Jooheon opens his mouth to answer with a yeah or something equally boring, but he obviously changes his mind. His eyes narrow in a smirk and sparkle in the warm sunlight. Minhyuk reminds himself to breathe. He's seen a lot of pretty people since he started working here, but Jooheon is somehow different.

"You know, every time you say stuff like that, instead of a latte with double espresso, I wanna order something like quad grande sugar free extra hot caramel macchiato upside down with soy milk just to see, if that smile of yours ever falters," Jooheon says.

Minhyuk really likes his voice.

"Quad grande sugar free extra hot caramel macchiato upside down with soy milk, right?" he repeats smoothly, his grin growing even wider. "Anything else, handsome? Cake? Pie? Cookie? My number?"

Jooheon looks disappointed for all of two seconds and then he snorts in amusement.

"No thanks," he dismisses lightly. "And on second thought, I think that double espresso latte would be awesome, after all."

Minhyuk pretends to change the order he already placed correctly, fully aware Jooheon wouldn't drink something as crazy as his spontaneous request. With soy milk, no less. In the meantime, Minhyuk stares at him from under his lashes, discreetly. Jooheon's hair is completely white now, and Minhyuk liked him of course in blonde, but this color suits him perfectly. It's falling into his eyes, probably not done at all. It seems Jooheon couldn't be bothered about looking decent today. Not that he doesn't. His clothes, face and general demeanor are just really natural and slightly messed up in the best way possible. He looks soft and sweet, and Minhyuk would have him over Hyunwoo's best brownies any day.

He takes money for the coffee from Jooheon, nodding to himself a bit, and proceeds with making it for him himself. He's alone at the register today, the café practically empty, and besides Jooheon there is only one other customer waiting for his turn to order. Kihyun saw that coming and Minhyuk hasn't seen him for a about forty minutes now. Hyunwoo has a soft spot for them both, so Kihyun uses it to take extended breaks to stress-smoke and probably text Hyungwon to make sure he's still alive, and Minhyuk uses it to feel good about himself and transfer that positive energy over to the customers. As far as he knows, Kihyun doesn't really have something like positive energy, at least not at work. Minhyuk isn't all that surprised, for some reason Kihyun gets all the most insane orders imaginable. He himself usually prepares lattes and caramel macchiatos.

"Here," he says brightly, passing Jooheon his drink.

Jooheon mutters a thanks and rolls his eyes at the hearts his cup is littered with.

"Actually," he stops short when he's about to leave. "I already have your number."

Minhyuk feels his heart speed up, momentarily off balance.

"Really? You've never wanted me to give it to you, though," he says, blinking incredulously.

Jooheon smiles. It's warm, but also a bit sharp, like there could be something more to it, if Minhyuk looked hard enough.

"Doesn't matter, ‘coz I'm not gonna text you anyway," he says, pleased with himself.

Minhyuk knew Jooheon was a bit mean, but this is more than he's ever seen. Not that he's seen a lot. He's not even sure, if they're friends. Probably not. Maybe acquaintances is a more accurate word. They've met through Hoseok on some kind of a party and Minhyuk could finally put a name to the face he sometimes saw in his café. Jooheon showed himself here more often after that.

Minhyuk realizes his mouth is hanging open and quickly snaps it close. Jooheon's eyes are barely visible by now, his whole face stretched into a grin, and Minhyuk almost has trouble looking directly at him, it's so bright.

The other customer clears his throat pointedly and Minhyuk snaps out of it.

"I guess that means _you_ have to get _my_ number," Jooheon adds only and salutes him on his way out.

Minhyuk spills the next coffee he makes on himself and has to redo it. Thankfully, the customer doesn't complain. He looks mostly tired, but probably files everything he just witnessed under the problems of youth or something, and waits patiently for his order.

"Jooheon was here," Kihyun guesses, reappearing from the back like he's emerging from the depths of hell, all dark circles under his eyes, murder in his gaze and tired, hateful twist on his mouth.

Minhyuk has tried to get out of his face the whole day and it was hard because of his personality that demands attention, so he doesn't appreciate snarky comments thrown his way at all.  
"So what," he says, as calm as possible.

"Nothing," Kihyun shrugs, his shoulders sagging a little, the smirk disappearing. "You wanna take a break? You're really out of it, I can take over for a while."

Which means he didn't want to tease Minhyuk right now, not if it bothers the other this much, but he's exhausted and couldn't help it. Minhyuk wishes Seokmin wasn't sick. They could use someone to hold their mess together, especially recently.

"Like you're any less out of it," he snorts.

It's fine. There are no new customers right now anyway.

"Shut up," Kihyun says.

It's finals time and while Minhyuk can take it easy, because he's already mostly done with his exams, Kihyun is right in the middle. Except that, Kihyun is also right in the middle of a relationship crisis with Hoseok. He doesn't sleep much, too occupied with studying and being pissed. Kihyun isn't the kind of guy to hold grudges, so Minhyuk knows it's serious. He tries to be as supportive as he can, but gentle consolation isn't exactly in his nature, so his efforts have come mostly to giving Kihyun his space.

"Hyungwon alive?" Minhyuk asks to stop thinking about how he really wants to make fun of Kihyun's emo phase.

Hyungwon being alive is never really a hundred percent confirmed thing, but right now he's sick, which considerably lowers his chances of survival, unless Kihyun takes care of him. Kihyun doesn't mind taking care of people usually, but he and Hyungwon have this weird hate-friendship thing going on and don't take breaks from arguing and snapping at each other on a normal basis. A sick Hyungwon doesn't even have the strength to bite back, though, so the energy Kihyun loses to fight with him has been accumulating for a week and something now. Minhyuk has a feeling that he's going to be the one who sets Kihyun off and all of the other's problems will explode and kill him.

"Yet," Kihyun mumbles ominously.

"Alive yet?" Minhyuk repeats, cautious.

"Who knows with him," Kihyun shrugs again.

Minhyuk doesn't say anything to that.

"Maybe you should take a day off?" he suggests for the five hundred and thirty seventh time.

"And then wake up in two weeks and realize I have to pay rent and don't have enough money for food?" Kihyun answers for approximately the two hundred and eighty fourth time.

At first he just spat fuck yous at Minhyuk for saying something so unreasonable. Minhyuk is smart enough not to say that he could lend him some money. He offered once and had to sit through half an hour long lecture about respecting what he has and earning for himself because he's not in a much better situation than Kihyun, and what if something fucked up and Kihyun wouldn't be able to pay him back in time, and about man's pride and all that stuff. Minhyuk would rather get a thousand more fuck yous over having to live through it again.

"At least it's empty today, go to Hyunwoo and ask him if you can take a nap in the back!" Minhyuk says, ushering Kihyun to the door.

"If I have some time, I should be revising," Kihyun mumbles, but he doesn't protest much after that.

"You have another two days before the next exam," Minhyuk rationalizes, deciding to tell Hyunwoo about the situation himself.

He forces Kihyun to lie down on the sofa that has been put in here after deeming it too ruined to keep it in the hall, and pats his face affectionately. Kihyun glares at him, but it's half-hearted at best, and doesn't try to get up to reach for his textbook or something. Minhyuk sends him a kiss, satisfied, and disappears behind the door to the kitchen after Kihyun bats at him weakly.

"Hyunwoo!" he greets the older cheerfully.

Hyunwoo looks up from forming dough and smiles at him.

"What's up?"

"I made Kihyun take a nap," Minhyuk says. "I hope that's okay."

Hyunwoo sighs.

"Finally," he says, a playful glint in his eye. "I was trying to avoid him, but he was here a lot before and he's a bit scary right now, to be honest."

Minhyuk laughs, hitting the table with his hand and sending flour everywhere.

"Hey!" Hyunwoo admonishes gently, but he's grinning, so Minhyuk doesn't feel bad about it.

"What are you making?" he asks curiously.

"Strawberry tart," Hyunwoo says.

Minhyuk groans in delight, suddenly hungry.

"Go watch the register," Hyunwoo says and flicks a bit of flour at Minhyuk.

Minhyuk gets back for that with stealing one of the freshly baked cookies and runs away laughing. Hyunwoo won't chase after him or make him pay for the treat out of his own pocket. Hyunwoo is too soft on them both. Minhyuk is actually surprised sometimes that the café is doing so well. They're not all that diligent at work as they probably should be.  
A customer shows up as soon as Minhyuk gets to the register. She's really lovely and doesn't have a problem with responding to Minhyuk's casual banter, and Minhyuk indulges her by drawing a heart on her cup. She laughs seeing it, and gives him a generous tip.

"You improved my mood," she explains, waving at him as she leaves. "Thanks, I'll definitely come here again!"

Minhyuk is unabashedly proud of himself for getting them a regular customer and celebrates by drawing a sun with little smiling clouds on Kihyun's sleeping face. They finish work soon after that and Kihyun chases him all the way to their apartment when they get off the bus and some girls tell him he looks cute because of the drawing. Minhyuk's throat hurts from screeching by the time Kihyun gets him and pinches his sides in the hallway until he's satisfied.

"Can't you be positive for once in your life?" Minhyuk asks sourly, getting to his feet.

He's still out of breath.

"You're telling me _this_ should have cheered me up?!" Kihyun yells, already in kitchen, making them dinner.

"If nothing else, we got home faster," Minhyuk points out teasingly, following him.

"One of these days you're going to wake up with all of your intestines on the bed next to you," Kihyun mutters.

Minhyuk grimaces.

"That's disgusting and also mildly disturbing."

"That's what you deserve," Kihyun shoots back, checking the taste of whatever he's making.

"What the hell is this ruckus about."

Minhyuk turns in his chair to look at Hyungwon. Hyungwon stares grumpily back. He's made a burrito out of himself with the use of the fluffiest blanket they own. His eyes are still red and framed with dark circles, hair debauched. His voice is weak and hoarse.

"Is that my shirt?" Minhyuk asks.

"Yeah," Hyungwon admits easily.

Asshole.

"You're supposed to be in bed," Kihyun says, not even turning from the stove. "Minhyuk will bring you soup once it's done. Have you taken your medicine and drank a lot of water?"

Minhyuk wonders how many times has Hoseok gotten sick for Kihyun to be this prepared for it. Hyungwon mumbles something in response and trudges slowly back to the bed. Minhyuk thinks Kihyun sighs, but he can only see his back, so he's not sure. He feels bad for him again, but Kihyun hates when people feel bad for him the most.

"You going to sleep?" Minhyuk asks when they've fed Hyungwon and eaten, and Kihyun stands up.

Kihyun gives him an incredulous look. With his tired eyes, he seems batshit crazy right now.

"I have an exam in two days," he reminds Minhyuk, articulating slowly and clearly, like he's talking to a six year old.

Minhyuk wants to pout, but he sighs instead.

"Lack of sleep is the worst for memorizing stuff," he tries carefully.

Kihyun scoffs.

"I know that."

"I'll help you revise tomorrow," Minhyuk says. "So just go sleep for today."

Kihyun stares at him for a moment and it looks like he can't see him at all. He leans against the counter heavily.

"Fine," he agrees finally.

Minhyuk grins at him and makes sure he doesn't fall asleep in the shower. He opens his phone as soon as he hears Kihyun's breath even out on the bed next to his. The single bedroom Hyungwon is currently occupying is actually Kihyun's, but they all agreed it's best to leave it to the sick one for now. At least Minhyuk isn't woken up in the middle of the night by sneezing, sniffling or other disgusting sounds.

**To: Muscle Man**

**wth did u fight abt**

**To: Muscle Man**

**hes srsly upset**

**To: Muscle Man**

**i havnt seen him like tht since tht dick broke up w him**

Minhyuk sighs. It's like, the third time today he's done that. The situation is serious. Hoseok replies after about two minutes.

**From: Muscle Man**

**shit**

**From: Muscle Man**

**that bad?**

Minhyuk snorts quietly, careful not to wake Kihyun. Hoseok's a sensitive guy, so Minhyuk has no idea why Kihyun is so mad and sad. When they fought before, it always ended with Hoseok crying to Minhyuk about it, and then Kihyun would just let it go and let Hoseok cry into his shoulder instead. Literally cry. Minhyuk didn't enjoy getting snot all over his shirt at all.

**To: Muscle Man**

**yea**

**To: Muscle Man**

**mabye try talking to him?**

This time the response is immediate.

**From: Muscle Man**

**i really fcked up this time**

**From: Muscle Man**

**dont know if sorry will hlep**

Minhyuk sighs for the fourth time. Everyone around him is either an asshole or an idiot. Or both. He thinks Hoseok is both.

**To: Muscle Man**

**thn think of smth else**

**To: Muscle Man**

**jst hurry up it sucks 2 see him like this**

Maybe Minhyuk should get himself a job as a therapist. He has no idea why everyone always comes to him with their problems. Like that time he had to listen to a whole ramble about a girl Changkyun had met and embarrassed himself in front of. It wasn't all that bad, even kind of funny. At the very least, Minhyuk was impressed with how much she respects coffee and animals. Changkyun got tangled up in her dog's leash and managed to spill her coffee on his way, which earned him a death glare and some harsh words before he stuttered that he will make it up to her, if she lets him. Minhyuk smiles to himself a bit remembering it. Sounds like a meet cute you would see in movies, not real life. He believes in those, though, so it's all good. It would be even better, if Jooheon let him have his number.

**From: Muscle Man**

**k thnks dude**

He texts back that it's fine, but he demands breakfast for delivering updates voluntarily. Hoseok reluctantly agrees. Minhyuk gets back to thinking about Jooheon and how his smile feels like looking at the sun, all bright and happy. Then he thinks about Jooheon and how that one sharp grin he threw Minhyuk's way was pretty dangerous. Then he thinks about Jooheon practically daring him to get his number, and makes himself so excited, he looks almost as bad as Kihyun from lack of sleep when they get up to go to work.

"Are you nine," Kihyun says flatly when he asks him about the cause of all the yawning Minhyuk presents on their way to the café, and Minhyuk readily tells him the reason.

"Twelve, actually," Minhyuk answers easily. "I did a test for mental age once."

Kihyun groans painfully.

"Why am I even best friends with you," he complains.

"I'm gonna get that fucking number, it's a life and death situation by now," Minhyuk declares officially and probably too loudly.

At least Kihyun says it's too loud. Minhyuk ignores his and a few other people's glares. They settle behind the counter, putting on their aprons. Im Jaebum waves at them when he comes in with Yoo Youngjae right after the door open. Minhyuk waves back with a grin, then he makes Kihyun do the same. Kihyun glares at him again and Youngjae sniggers.

Minhyuk tries to focus on his job, but all that's in his head is Jooheon's laugh, and Kihyun gets annoyed. He's more annoyed than the previous day, which means Hoseok tried to contact him at least. Minhyuk is sure. They get home tired, but Minhyuk is in a good mood. Kihyun is irritated by that and also agitated, too.

"Hoseok called me today," he says as casually as he can, which isn't casually at all, when he puts a plate of food in front of Minhyuk.

Minhyuk blinks at him and then grins.

"That's good, right?"

Kihyun is far from enthusiastic, though.

"I don't know," he says quietly, picking at his rice.

Every time Minhyuk does that, he gets nagged at not to play with food.

"You sure you don't want to tell me?" he asks gently.

Neither Kihyun nor Hoseok have shared what their fight is really about. Minhyuk decided not to push.

"I'll tell you after all of this is over," Kihyun says.

Minhyuk gasps.

"You're breaking up?!" he screeches.

There is a crush, a thump and footsteps, and Hyungwon's head appears in the door. His face is still flushed.

"What?!" he yells.

Well, tries to yell, what gets out is more of a cracking sound that reminds Minhyuk of those voices he heard when he watched a video of possessed people.

Kihyun scrunches up his face.

"I didn't say that," he mutters irritably. "I don't know. I just want this to be over, no matter how it turns out."

"But you're in love with him!" Minhyuk accuses.

Kihyun's face scrunches up even more.

"Unfortunately," he admits with a sigh.

"What the hell does unfortunately even mean," Hyungwon says.

Or at least that's what Minhyuk understands.

Kihyun is silent for a long while and he doesn't look up at either of them.

"I'm not sure it's the same the other way round," he says quietly, squeezing his arm, his head hanging, and Minhyuk's heart clenches painfully.

"Okay, that's fucking enough."

"Hyungwon," Minhyuk starts.

"No," Hyungwon says. He looks really pissed off. "You have no idea how many times he grossed me out since you two started dating because he couldn't stop talking about you and your eyes and the things you do and all that sappy, disgusting stuff. I have no intention to sit with him and watch him cry, if you dump him."

"Technically," Minhyuk pipes up. "He now comes to me to do that."

"Whatever," Hyungwon discards his words with a wave of his hand. "The point stands, he loves you, and I don't want to have to choose between a best friend and a friend who cooks well."

"Wow," says Minhyuk. "You have your priorities all sorted out."

Hyungwon glares at him.

"Yours are the same."

"Yeah, but for me it's the same person, so I don't have that problem," he sing-songs.

"Are you saying you want them to break up?" Hyungwon growls.

His voice is really scary now. Minhyuk flails.

"No! I never said that!"

"Did you just call me your friend?" Kihyun speaks up from where he was letting them bicker, squinting.

Hyungwon rolls his eyes.

"Oh my god, seriously-"

Knocking interrupts him mid-sentence. Kihyun gets up to get the door.

"Uh, hi," Jooheon says with an awkward smile and Minhyuk can't believe what's happening. "Hoseok kind of kicked me out, he's, um, not feeling all that well? And you're the only people I know who own a free couch–"

"Is he crying?" Kihyun asks bluntly. He's angry.

Jooheon blinks at him a few times, shuffling his feet.

"Yeah? He's really upset and he didn't want me to-"

"The couch is all yours, there are extra sheets in the closet," Kihyun tells him pleasantly. He turns to look at Minhyuk and Hyungwon, the first one shocked, the second one grumpy. "That's probably the only time in my life I'm gonna say this," Kihyun starts, looking at Hyungwon with strong eyes. "But you're right. That's fucking enough."

He leaves, shutting the door behind himself. It makes Minhyuk snap out of it a bit. Jooheon is still in the hallway, looking uncertain.

"Will they be okay?" he asks carefully.

"Don't know, don't care," Hyungwon mutters. "At least it's progress or whatever. I'm going back to sleep, have fun."

They stand opposite each other, feeling kind of weird without the counter separating them.

"Wanna eat?" Minhyuk asks finally. "Kihyun made too much food."

He doesn't recognize himself, all awkward and stiff, in his own home no less.

"Sure," Jooheon says and smiles a bit, and Minhyuk's shoulders relax.

They sit down in their tiny kitchen, eating in silence. Minhyuk is worried and Jooheon isn't on his territory, so they're not really comfortable, not like their encounters in the cafe are.

"So, about your number," Jooheon says suddenly and his eyes have little magical lightbulbs in them. "Hoseok gave it to me. He said you're good at advice, if I ever needed it, and that we're pretty much friends already."

Minhyuk makes a dramatic gasp.

" _How dare he_ ," he seethes.

He's really surrounded by assholes and idiots. Hoseok is definitely both. Only Jooheon seems to be neither.

Jooheon grins the same way he did the day before, only sharper, and Minhyuk decides to be careful with labels.

"Come on, I'll help you set up," he says, grabbing Jooheon's wrist and tagging him to the living room. He turns over his shoulder to throw a suggestive smirk and wiggle his eyebrows. "Unless you wanna share my bed."

Jooheon's grin gets bashful in an instant, his ears filling with color, and then he laughs. Minhyuk isn't sure, if he's going to fall asleep tonight. For various reasons.

***

Kihyun doesn't come back. It can mean the worst or the best, and Minhyuk has no way of knowing which it is. Jooheon seems worried too, so they spend most of the night playing a game on Hyungwon's Nintendo. Minhyuk maintains it's worth more than their entire apartment, all of them included. Kihyun always looks at him with exasperation when he says that. Jooheon is a worthy opponent. Hyungwon joins them at one point, wrapped around in two blankets.

"We should sleep," Minhyuk says sometime around three thirty.

Jooheon has been dozing off on his shoulder for the past fifteen minutes, and it's been nice, really, but Minhyuk doesn't want him to be exhausted the next day. Hyungwon jerks awake at the sound of his voice and pretends very hard that he didn't. He groans in vague agreement and stands up slowly.

"Rise and shine, gorgeous," Minhyuk tells Jooheon quietly.

Jooheon straightens from where he was slumped against Minhyuk's entire side. He doesn't apparently have the strength to open his eyes, because he just frowns a bit and grunts in protest. Minhyuk hauls him up onto the couch Hyungwon just vacated. Jooheon mumbles something incoherent and catches the rim of Minhyuk's shirt.

"Shhh," Minhyuk soothes. He can't help a smile pulling at his lips. "Goodnight."

Jooheon lets go, already asleep. His mouth is slightly open and Minhyuk would definitely take a picture to blackmail him with later, if it was any other situation than the current one. Instead, he goes to brush his teeth and crush onto Hyungwon's bed, not quite next to him. Hyungwon hisses painfully and kicks at him, but he's too weak and sleepy to do much damage.

"What the hell are you doing," he grumbles, but scoots over to make place for him.

"Going to sleep," Minhyuk answers cheerfully, squeezing his middle with a bit too much force.

Hyungwon pinches his arm and turns to the wall when Minhyuk yelps and lets him go.

"Do it then," he mumbles unpleasantly.

Minhyuk grins at his back and wraps himself around him.

He's not sure when he falls asleep, but he's woken up by something suddenly. It's already almost bright, everything somewhere between grey and blue. There is a sound and Minhyuk bolts upright. Hyungwon grunts unhappily, but Minhyuk doesn't care. It was his phone.

Jooheon is still sleeping on the couch, so he tries to be quiet, as he searches through the whole apartment for the device. He can't remember for shit where he left it at night. Finally, he finds it under a half empty pack of cookies.

**From: My Hamster**

**I don't think I'll make it to work**

**From: My Hamster**

**Before you freak out, it's good**

Minhyuk thinks his heart actually stops there for a second. He snaps a picture of sleeping Jooheon, now that he doesn't have to be concerned about decency in a difficult situation, cooing a bit at the drool he left on the pillow, and runs to the bathroom.

Kihyun picks up after one ring.

"Whatdoyoumeanyouwon'tmakeittowork!" Minhyuk shoots rapidly.

Kihyun has spent so much time with him by now that he understands even that mingled sentence.

"We've been... talking," he says carefully.

His voice is thick.

"Are you crying?" Minhyuk asks incredulously.

"What? No, shut up," Kihyun says, a bit flustered.

Which is as good as a yes.

"You've been talking for," Minhyuk checks the time, which he forgot to do until now. "Eight hours?"

"Pretty much," Kihyun mutters, but Minhyuk knows when there is something Kihyun isn't saying, and in this case that something is probably a lot of makeup sex, or at least make-out sessions.

"You're gonna spend the entire day with him?"

Kihyun is quiet for a moment.

"Yeah, I want to fix it all at once," he explains. "Also, he did promise me the best blowjob of my life, I should at least evaluate it."

Minhyuk would smack him, if they were in the same place right now. He huffs instead.

"Seriously! We've been worried crazy over here!"

"I know," Kihyun says. "I'm sorry. I lost track of time, it was a mess."

"No makeup sex yet, then?" Minhyuk asks.

Kihyun scoffs.

"No, you idiot. It's not that kind of situation. There was just, uh, a lot of crying and hugging, and apologizing."

And that finally helps Minhyuk settle.

"Thank God," he says quietly, leaning heavily against the sink. "I thought you're gonna break up with him."

"No, you didn't," Kihyun says. "You were worried and you hoped I'm not gonna do that. I can't picture you being so pessimistic at all."

And damn it, he's right. Maybe they know each other too well.

"You gonna be back for dinner?"

"Yeah," Kihyun promises. "I'll text you later what time I'll be back. Hoseok says thanks."

"He has nothing to thank me for," Minhyuk dismisses.

He feels really good now. Relieved.

"Accept it before he starts crying again," Kihyun says.

Minhyuk hears Hoseok's muffled shout of protest, and if they can joke like that already, it really means it's going to be fine.

"You already know everything there is to know for that exam tomorrow, don't you," Minhyuk says with a grin. "You were just studying to stop thinking."

"Seriously, if we ever decide to become enemies, I'm gonna have to kill you, we know way too much about each other," Kihyun says and it sounds scary, even though he's laughing.

"Who said I'm gonna be the one dying?" Minhyuk yells, but he's laughing, too. "Just come back for dinner, you villain!"

"Sure," Kihyun says and it's too soft suddenly, and Minhyuk hangs up before he also starts crying.

From what Kihyun said, it's been too much of that already. He goes to make himself tea, dancing stupidly around the small kitchen.

"Why are you humming so early?"

Minhyuk jumps a mile in the air and twirls around to look at a bleary-eyed Jooheon standing in the doorway. His voice is gravely and rumbles all the way to Minhyuk's toes.

"Sorry, did I wake you?" he asks, unable to stop grinning.

"Kinda," Jooheon shrugs. Minhyuk's grin finally slips. "But it's fine!" Jooheon assures him immediately, waving his arms around. "So, what are you doing?"

Minhyuk chuckles in delight and goes over to him to pull him along and make him dance, too.

"They made up!" he sings, spinning Jooheon around.

Jooheon goes easily, his eyes getting suddenly comically wide.

"Seriously?!"

Minhyuk nods, giggling. Jooheon grins and it's so big and undeterred, Minhyuk wants to squish his cheeks and kiss those pouty lips of his, but he's not a complete idiot, even if Hyungwon would argue. Oh, right.

"I'm gonna go tell Hyungwon," Minhyuk announces. "You can drink my tea, if you want."

Jooheon shakes his head.

"I'm going with you."

And so they creep up on Hyungwon like the biggest assholes, just for Minhyuk to wake him up with a shriek.

"Wake up, my sick, lazy, wonderful friend! The idiots made up!"

Hyungwon almost falls out of the bed, serving Minhyuk one of his deadliest glares once he rights himself.

"One of these days, you're gonna find yourself missing a kidney or two," he threatens.

Minhyuk purses his lips. Jooheon is still laughing, rolling around on the floor.

"I should move out, neither you nor Kihyun appreciate me enough," Minhyuk complains.

"Let me know when, I'll help get rid of your junk," Hyungwon says.

He sounds better already, none of previous hoarseness present in his voice. His face is back to being pale, too.

Minhyuk decides to feel offended later.

"Whatever, I hate you, the two idiots made up!" he repeats urgently.

Hyungwon blinks at him for a moment, glances at Jooheon, who's stopped laughing and is now happily lounging on their impeccably clean floor. Goes back to Minhyuk. Slowly, a grin stretches his mouth.

"Fucking finally," he says.

"You know what that means?" Minhyuk says innocently.

Hyungwon's smile disappears in an instant.

"No," he says. "No pancakes, I'm sick."

"But you're better!" Minhyuk whines desperately. He turns to Jooheon. "Hyungwon's pancakes are like, the best on Earth, and it's not flattery, because the last thing I want to do right now is flatter him."

Jooheon gazes up at him unsurely.

"I don't doubt that, but I should probably get going, you know?"

Minhyuk panics and looks at Hyungwon to plead him with his eyes to just do something. Hyungwon sighs.

"And go where?" he arches an eyebrow. "Those two are in your room now, right?"

"Uh, to Changkyun?" Jooheon tries.

Hyungwon is smiling lazily now, and Minhyuk knows that smile, directed at him, it feels incredibly condescending, but it's not like he wants to say something and probably make Jooheon leave.

"Kyun has a test today, he's only free at ten," Hyungwon reminds Jooheon lightly. "And it's not even seven yet. For which Lee Minhyuk will pay."

Minhyuk huffs. Jooheon laughs nervously.

"I can wait for him somewhere?"

Hyungwon sighs and stands up.

"Fine, I'll make you those pancakes, you morons," he mumbles on his way to the bathroom.

Minhyuk whoops triumphantly and drags Jooheon back to the living room, now that the younger doesn't have any more excuses.

"It's true," Jooheon says half an hour later, mouth full, expression awed. "They're the best on Earth."

"Secret ingredient is cum," Hyungwon says offhandedly and errupts into hysterical laughter as soon as he sees Jooheon's shell shocked face.

Minhyuk chokes on his pancake from cackling manically and kicks Hyungwon's shin. Lightly, because he did make them food. Jooheon laughs finally, too, and takes another bite.

"Man, I knew you were Hoseok's close friends, but I wasn't expecting something like that," he admits.

Which, rude.

"Excuse me, I didn't need Hoseok's influence to be this awesome," Minhyuk pouts.

"Yeah, if anything, he was the one who picked it up from me," Hyungwon adds.

Minhyuk snorts, because that's highly doubtful. Jooheon seems to think the same. Hyungwon frowns.

"I made you food, assholes, at least go along with this for a while."

"Sure, dude, you're way better than Hoseok," Jooheon says immediately.

It's so fake, Minhyuk chokes again, and Jooheon claps his back, smiling innocently. Hyungwon glares at them, but decides it's not worth it, apparently, because he drops it.

"Kihyun is ever going to be back?" he asks instead. "Because if not, dibs on all of his albums."

Minhyuk makes an indignant noise.

"You can't do that!"

"Too bad, I just did."

"Guys, he'll be back. It's my room, too," Jooheon cuts in carefully.

Minhyuk turns to him to give him the brightest smile.

"Then, you can live with us and Kihyun's albums here!" he says sweetly.

Jooheon's cheeks get a bit darker and he clears his throat, looking away. Hyungwon is smirking. Minhyuk feels happy.

***

"You're so pretty, god, you haven't even done anything with your hair, and it's so messy, but you're so pretty!"

Jooheon is staring at him like he's not sure what to do in this kind of situation, but he's blushing just a bit, and his eyes are twinkling, and Minhyuk might be drunk.

"Hey, Lovelas. You're gonna scare him off."

Minhyuk twirls around to poke Hoseok's chest with a finger, stumbling just a little. Whatever, he's an incredibly smooth creature on a normal basis.

"I'm not doing anything bad, you dick," okay, so Minhyuk might curse a lot more after drinking, but he was having a nice conversation over here. "Besides, he likes the attention!"

He turns back to steal a glance and Jooheon seems slightly awkward, but also properly amused.

"I'm not that easy to scare off," he says, tilting his head to the side, which is just plainly adorable, and Minhyuk is going to puke rainbows.

Actually, he might need to puke his dinner in a minute, but who would care about such trivial matters.

"Okay, lovebirds," Hoseok raises his hands in a display of mocking surrender. "I won't bother you anymore, then."

"Yeah, you'd better!" Minhyuk threatens.

There is a chance Hoseok doesn't get a word he just said, because everything is kind of blurring together. Hoseok laughs and leaves, and Minhyuk spares a second to be glad he's okay already.

"Want me to help you get to bed?" Jooheon asks suddenly from somewhere very close.

Minhyuk jumps in surprise and needs solid four seconds to understand the right context of that sentence. Jooheon must have deliberately said it like this, though, because his full lips are pulled slightly into a smirk. Minhyuk sputters indignantly.

"How dare you do that to me?" he accuses, jabbing a finger at Jooheon now.

Jooheon shrugs, playing innocent.

"You drank a lot," he explains in a ridiculously sweet little voice. "I just wanted to help."

Minhyuk thinks he could die from diabetes right now, and he wouldn't have any problem with that. He sighs theatrically.

"You're a very mysterious man, Lee Jooheon," he says in a poor imitation of an official, dramatically announced statement.

Jooheon laughs and grabs his arm, and Minhyuk forgets what they were talking about, letting himself be pulled to a chair.

"Here," Jooheon says and a glass of water appears magically before Minhyuk's nose.

Minhyuk pouts.

"I don't want water, I want more alcohol," he says stubbornly.

Jooheon's face replaces the glass in Minhyuk's direct line of vision.

"Don't make me force you," Jooheon says.

His voice is suddenly lower and Minhyuk can feel the change in atmosphere, as if the room's temperature just dropped a few degrees. He tenses up for just a second and then relaxes his posture, letting his legs fall open. He smiles lazily.

"You want to force me? That's cute."

Jooheon's gaze slowly sweeps lower, first to his lips, then neck, chest, stomach and... returns to his eyes. He leans in even more, the smell of alcohol and something akin to cinnamon reaching Minhyuk's nose. Minhyuk's breath hitches.

"You're not getting any closer to getting my number, you know," Jooheon murmurs, which means just a little more and Minhyuk will have it.

Jooheon's voice is even lower now, a deep rumble that makes something inside Minhyuk's chest tremble. His breath tickles Minhyuk's mouth. Minhyuk straightens just a bit and their noses are almost touching now, and Jooheon's lips are as full and bitable from up close as Minhyuk thought. The temperature just jumped a lot higher and Minhyuk can feel his blood pulsing in his ears. It seems like hours, as they stay like that, right in each other's faces, too wound up to move away, but not desperate enough to move forward.

"We'll see about that," Minhyuk speaks finally, his voice a hoarse disaster more than anything.

The air is stifling and Minhyuk's insides are pulled tightly. Jooheon grins cockily and straightens, and Minhyuk almost loses his balance.

"Drink your water, drunk man," Jooheon tells him and leaves just like that.

Minhyuk takes a deep breath. This is going to be so much fun. His fingers tingle from excitement.

"Wow, that was something."

He turns to the side to see Kihyun leaning on the door.

"Yeah," Minhyuk agrees absently.

"Why didn't you do anything?" Kihyun asks, sitting next to him and handing him the water.

Minhyuk is tempted to pour it over his own head to cool a little. He sips on it instead, smiling dumbly into the glass.

"It's like a game by now," he explains. "I got a quest to get his number. If I kissed him before that, I would lose a lot of points."

Kihyun huffs in amusement.

"That seems fun," he says.

And because it's Kihyun, it sounds just a bit sarcastic, but Minhyuk knows it wasn't meant to be.

"How you feeling when you're done with everything except Hoseok?" he asks, just to stop thinking about Jooheon's lips for a minute.

"Well," Kihyun says. "I've done him too. Several times."

Minhyuk scrunches his nose in disgust.

"That's something I definitely didn't need to know."

"You always ask me for details, though," Kihyun counters, eyes sparkling from poorly contained evilness.

Minhyuk attempts to swat at his arm and misses, falling into his lap instead. He stays there, because why not.

"You spilled the water," Kihyun grumbles, his fingers running through Minhyuk's hair on reflex.

Kihyun himself doesn't like his hair touched and Minhyuk is always complaining about that. Hoseok, too. That's why, to shut them up, Kihyun plays with their hair on an almost daily basis.

"'M so glad you made up, y'know," Minhyuk slurs, the soothing touch making him sleepy.

"It's after two," Kihyun's voice floats over to him. "Let's get you to bed."

Minhyuk sits up.

"What? But the party is still going!"

Kihyun considers him for a moment.

"Fine, I won't stop you, but that's just because I can't be bothered, if you do something stupid. By the way, we're taking Hoseok's room for tonight, so Jooheon's staying here again."

"That best blowjob in your life?" Minhyuk remembers.

"Yeah, no, he's gonna have to work on that," Kihyun snickers.

"That's what I thought," Minhyuk giggles and then it hits him. "JOOHEON IS STAYING HERE?!"

"That's what I just said," Kihyun grimaces. "You don't have to yell."

He smirks. Minhyuk can't believe how much of an asshole his best friend is.

"I can't have him here tonight, what if I can't control myself anymore, you didn't see his lips and his neck, and his hands, and-"

"I did," Kihyun stops him flatly. "Just leave him the couch, you'll be fine, drama queen."

"Someone called?" Seungkwan appears in the door, leaning heavily against it to gain balance.

He's drunk as fuck. Like most of them by this point. Minhyuk has lost count how many people came to their apartment to celebrate the end of exams by consuming copious amounts of alcohol. Hansol stumbles into Seungkwan and stays there. Seungkwan giggles and Minhyuk and Kihyun both make a face.

"Ew, get your gayness somewhere else," Kihyun orders, disgusted.

Hansol shows them the finger, but pulls Seungkwan back to the living room.

"What was it about gayness?" Hoseok asks, easily supporting his head on Kihyun's shoulder.

"I'm leaving," Minhyuk announces.

They both laugh after him. Minhyuk huffs in frustration. The floor is too wobbly. Someone catches his shoulders. He looks up just to be blinded by Soonyoung's grin. He's attacked by a sudden shudder of oncoming doom.

"Hi," Soonyoung says sunnily. "Listen, my favorite, awesomest person on the planet, I need your help."

Minhyuk gulps.

"Please tell me it has something to do with setting Mingyu's pants on fire, and not helping you get into Wonwoo's."

Soonyoung slumps against him suddenly with a whine that resembles the sounds of a dying whale.

"He's over there talking with Jihoon all the time in that damn sparkly shirt and I'm suffering!"

Minhyuk glances to where he's pointing and Wonwoo doesn't look half as good as Soonyoung thinks, but he has to admit the shirt is really complimenting him. That, and eyeliner, and probably that awful, attractive smirk which scrunches up his nose and makes it adorable. Minhyuk sighs and glances over to the other side of the room, past Jiwoo and Somin making out on the couch, to Jooheon laughing at something Jackson just said. They make eye contact and Jooheon grins at him, and suddenly he's not just pretty. He's funny, charming, sexy, sweet, and everything in between. Interesting. Complex. Minhyuk's fingers tingle again.

" _Minhyuuuk_ ," Soonyoung cries.

Minhyuk sighs and nods.

"Okay, come here," he says, opening his arms.

Soonyoung jumps at him happily and then they just kind of sway to some catchy song that's completely unfit for swaying.

"So, what's the plan?" Minhyuk asks. He could use more alcohol. "Wanna make him jealous?"

"Don't know," Soonyoung mumbles against his neck, kissing it lightly. "Maybe? Just wanted you to comfort me, mostly. And listen to my complaints. And now that you said it, setting Mingyu's pants on fire would be nice."

Minhyuk laughs quietly and slips a hand into Soonyoung's hair. For no particular reason, he looks up and finds Jooheon's gaze boring into him with incredible intensity. A shiver runs down his spine and he can feel Soonyoung smile against his skin.

"So, we can help each other out, I see," he practically purrs.

And starts moving his hips. Minhyuk groans.

"Don't do that to me now, it's not gonna end well," he hisses, but Soonyoung glances up at him with sparkling eyes and the most charming smirk, and Minhyuk gives up just like that.

Jooheon is still looking at him, so he just responds to Soonyoung without breaking the contact. Soonyoung knows perfectly well what he's doing, years of practicing dancing evident in his moves, and suddenly it's not just swaying anymore, it's aggressive and exhilarating and Jooheon's eyes are on fire. Minhyuk feels too hot. Even though it's just their living room, the atmosphere nothing like in a club, he's suddenly on stage and has a very interested audience.

"They're both looking, this was a great idea," Soonyoung says into his ear, breathless.

Jooheon rolls back his shoulders and Minhyuk sees his throat work, and he hasn't payed enough attention to Jooheon's neck before, it's glorious. He swallows with difficulty, blood boiling.  
Soonyoung suddenly just stops.

"What's wrong?" Minhyuk asks instantly, barely able to look at him instead of Jooheon.

"He left," Soonyoung says blankly.

Minhyuk glances around and Wonwoo is gone.

"But he looked at you, right?"

"More like glared at me," Soonyoung says sadly. "It was so hot."

"You're so weird," Minhyuk informs him. "Are you sober enough to go after him?"

"I don't know," Soonyoung seems nervous all of a sudden. "I probably shouldn't-"

"And let him be jealous and not talk to you again?" Minhyuk cuts him off. "Last time it lasted over a week! No one around you could handle the UST! And the UET! Can't you just get together already?"

"I don't even know what UET means," Soonyoung says. "Besides, who says he even wants to."

"I'm pretty sure he doesn't have to say anything, because everyone knows, and so should you!" Minhyuk groans, pushing him towards the door. "Besides, it's not his style to say things directly, he's gonna hide behind poor dad jokes and best friend bullshit forever, if you just continue to provoke him instead of doing something! Go!"

Soonyoung glances at the door, back at Minhyuk, and puts on his shoes.

"Fine," he huffs, rolling up his sleeves. "Painful rejection and wallowing in self-pity, here I come!"

"That's the spirit!" Minhyuk grins after him and turns around to find the room still full, but now obviously missing Jooheon.

His good humor drops like Changkyun just did, sudden and hard. He goes to help the younger up to his feet and then peeks out onto the balcony. Momo is there with Jungyeon, though, and he doesn't have the mood to watch them kiss or worse, stop and ask him what's wrong, and maybe try to cheer him up. Bathroom is occupied too, and he wants to interrupt whoever is in there even less, judging by the noises. Their apartment is way too small. He looks for Kihyun, but Kihyun's already gone, so he just sits in the kitchen. Jeongguk is sleeping on the floor next to his feet, Taehyung tickling his nose with a leaf and giggling manically. Someone is going to die when Kihyun finds his plants violated. Minhyuk thinks there might be about thirty people at their place right now and his mind is blown. How did they even fit inside? Like, sure, they attempted a makeshift dance floor in the living room, so it should-

"You don't look so good," Hyungwon says, sitting next to him.

Minhyuk forgets what he was even thinking about.

"I'm sad," he says dramatically.

"What happened to dry humping Soonyoung so you can provoke Jooheon?" Hyungwon asks, standing up to rummage through their fridge.

He finds a half empty bottle of tequila and puts in on the table triumphantly.

"I wasn't dry humping Soonyoung to provoke Jooheon," Minhyuk mumbles, stealing the bottle from him.

"Really?" Hyungwon's eyebrow shoots up judgmentally. "It sure damn looked like it."

"I was dry humping Soonyoung so he could provoke Wonwoo," Minhyuk explains.

The alcohol burns his throat. His stomach doesn't appreciate it either.

"Okay," Hyungwon says. "But?"

"Wonwoo left, so I told Soonyoung to go after him, but Jooheon left too," Minhyuk whines.

Hyungwon snorts.

"No, he didn't, moron, he's staying here. Just, get up, you've had enough. You need to pee or puke or something?"

Minhyuk nods and doesn't clarify which. Hyungwon takes him to the bathroom that is now empty except for Bambam, Jihyo and Chan sleeping in the bathtub. Hyungwon pulls the curtain over them and leaves Minhyuk to pee in peace. Then, Minhyuk somehow finds himself in his bed, except his bed isn't empty at all. He almost falls out of it once he realizes Jooheon is in it. Jooheon grumbles because of all the jostling around, but is half asleep, so it's a very weak protest. Minhyuk tries to lie down next to him very carefully, heart in his throat.

"Um," he tries. He's too drunk for this. "Why are you in my bed?"

"Isn't that where you want me to be?" Jooheon mumbles.

Minhyuk smiles at him, even though Jooheon's eyes are closed.

"What about your number?"

"Tomorrow," Jooheon sighs, snuggling against Minhyuk a little.

Minhyuk thinks he's going to melt. Or maybe spontaneously combust. He carefully shuffles closer and the smell of alcohol is still there, but the cinnamon one is stronger now. There might also be pears. Minhyuk isn't sure when he drifts off to sleep.

***

"This is bullshit," Kihyun announces, his hand meeting the counter's top in a loud smack. "It's been five days and you still don't have that number!"

Minhyuk tries to turn to look at him, but he's good right where he is, daydreaming about those plush lips.

"Besides!" Kihyun continues. "We've got customers waiting for you to get a grip!"

Minhyuk's gaze slowly floats over to the group of five girls, who are all staring at him with wide eyes.

"Oh, no!" one of them says quickly. "It's totally fine!"

Kihyun sighs in frustration. Minhyuk sighs in bliss. The girls all sigh in awe.

"Excuse me, if you're not here to buy coffee, and ogle my idiot friend who can't stop thinking about stupid things at work instead, then please leave," Kihyun says.

The girls don't seem to be offended at all. Minhyuk smiles at him.

"I'm not an idiot," he says.

One of the girls squeaks and quickly covers her mouth with a hand.

"Yes, you are, you didn't even get his number yet!" Kihyun seethes.

"Oh my god, the pheromones are real over here," another girl whispers too loudly to her friend.

Kihyun scowls at her and she blushes.

"Are you in love?" another one asks Minhyuk curiously.

Minhyuk blinks at her slowly. The words don't fully register.

"Probably," Kihyun rolls his eyes. "Seriously, can you please leave, customers that actually want coffee might come."

"You're hot, too," the one who has been quiet until now speaks up suddenly. "If we're talking about numbers..."

"If we're talking about numbers," Kihyun smiles at her sweetly, and only Minhyuk knows it's actually poisonous. "There is a number of things I require and you're missing one kinda crucial detail."

She cocks an eyebrow.

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah, so come back when you have a dick, and in the meantime, take your friends and go bother someone else."

She seems shocked for a second, but then she grins.

"Fine. I hope you'll find a boyfriend that's as cute as me."

"Already have one, shoo."

The girl laughs and orders a latte, disappearing quickly after receiving it, the rest of the group following her and whispering between themselves.

"Hey," Kihyun nudges Minhyuk so hard, he almost falls to the floor. "Have you even thought about it? It's been like, a month."

"About what?" Minhyuk asks, waking up a little to massage his side.

"That maybe you've fallen for him," Kihyun explains calmly, wiping the counter.

Minhyuk huffs and is about to wave his hand and make a dramatic declaration of love, but then his brain catches up to what's just been said and probably explodes.

"Oh shit," Kihyun says. "On a scale from Seokmin to Hyunwoo, how bad is it?"

Minhyuk tries to remember when he had a crush on Seokmin in high school and it never worked out, because they were too similar and awesome enough as friends. Besides, he was just beginning to understand his sexuality then, so the infatuation quickly passed. Then, he thinks about how he met Hyunwoo and couldn't get over him for two months after break up, even though it was mostly a mutual decision, and the rational part of Minhyuk knew it was right and that they're better off as friends, too. And as an employer and employee. He still kind of misses dating Hyunwoo sometimes.

"Two," he says hollowly.

This shouldn't be happening, he still doesn't have Jooheon's goddamn number and he's known him for maybe a few weeks, and he's going to have his heart broken again because Jooheon will surely be creeped out by his feelings, and it's no wonder, they shouldn't exist, at least not yet, and-

"Two?" Kihyun repeats before Minhyuk can spiral himself into hyperventilating. "Two what?"

Minhyuk turns to look at him slowly, head blank, everything blank, except his voice, that is appropriately solemn when he says, "Two Hyunwoo's."

Kihyun stares at him for a moment, his expression more alarmed with every passing second.

"Okay," he says finally. Takes a deep breath. "Cool."

There is silence for a while, customers' chatter a weirdly detached background noise. Minhyuk can feel a dark hole opening at a snail's but steady pace in his stomach. Kihyun places a heavy hand on his shoulder, eyes serious.

"You're gonna get that fucking number now."

***

"You disgust me," Minhyuk declares, lying face down on the floor in Soonyoung's room.

Soonyoung stops humming some happy tune and laughs, leaving his phone to pat Minhyuk's back.

"You didn't have to come here," he says.

"I did," Minhyuk argues. "I need a plan, and seeing as I helped you get together with Wonwoo after at least half a year of whining, you're gonna help me get Jooheon's number."

Soonyoung rolls his eyes. Minhyuk doesn't see it, but he knows.

"You don't need a plan or my help at all," he says. "Just ask him out like a normal person."

"Coming from you, that's sure something," Minhyuk drawls, turning to look at him and also because his nose starts to hurt.

Soonyoung pinches his neck.

"Have you tried just asking for the number maybe?" he asks, unimpressed.

Minhyuk slaps his thigh in retaliation and opens his mouth to express how he needs a real plan instead of bullshit, but stops short.

"No?" he guesses. "I don't know, I flirt with him so often, I lose track of what I say."

"Then try that first and then come back, if it doesn't work out," Soonyoung claps his arm a little too hard and gets up.

Minhyuk glares at him.

"You're going to Wonwoo, aren't you. You just want to get rid of me."

"Oh please, that's not true," Soonyoung giggles and pulls him up and through the door. "That's a great plan, just do it!"

And then Minhyuk is left to stare at closed door. Some friends he's got.

"Okay, Lee Minhyuk, you're great and everyone loves you, you can do it," he tells himself.

A girl passes him on the way to her room and stares at him like he lost his mind. He probably did. The problem is, even if he can do it, he has no idea where Jooheon is right now. So the best bet is texting everyone else to ask.

**To: Muscle Man**

**u kno whre Jooheon is?**

To reply, it takes Hoseok about ten minutes, during which Minhyuk is almost by their room.

**From: Muscle Man**

**nah havnt seen him ask kyun**

Minhyuk sighs. Hoseok is probably with Kihyun now anyway, making use of Kihyun's off day. Hyunwoo is out of town, so he closed the cafe for three days and that means Minhyuk doesn't even have work to distract himself with.

**To: Buttercup**

**hey hve u seen Jooheon maybe?**

Changkyun texts back right away.

**From: Buttercup**

**yah dud im chillin w him rn**

**From: Buttercup**

**come ovre we have games n pizza**

Well, even if Jooheon wasn't there, Minhyuk would surely fall for the pizza, so he skips over to Changkyun and Bambam's room.

"Minhyuk!" Changkyun exclaims.

Jooheon turns around from their console to look at him. He smiles and Minhyuk's mood jumps through the roof.

"Hi," he says.

Jooheon pats the floor next to him and Minhyuk happily jumps over to sit there. Changkyun pats his back. Minhyuk actually forgets why he even came for a while, because it's fun playing and they don't make him pay for his share of pizza.

"Hey," Jooheon says when Changkyun goes to the bathroom. "We're okay, right?"

Minhyuk is so surprised, he lets his character die.

"Of course we are! Why wouldn't we be?"

Jooheon bites on his lip and Minhyuk really wants to do that, too. To Jooheon's lip, obviously.

"It's just, you know, we were both pretty drunk and I, uh, don't usually act like that, and I definitely don't invite myself into people's beds, so," he explains awkwardly, not really looking at Minhyuk at all.

It's adorable.

"Can I have your number?" Minhyuk asks with a grin.

Jooheon turns to him, eyes widening in that hilarious way Minhyuk really wants to make fun of once they know each other better. Jooheon's pretty mouth is open and Minhyuk can't believe how soft his lips look. After a minute of stunned silence, Jooheon finally smiles and he seems glad, maybe even flattered, as he escapes with his gaze and reaches into his pocket. Minhyuk's heart is beating loudly somewhere in his throat. Jooheon messes on his phone for a moment and then Minhyuk feels vibrations in his own pocket.

**From: Unknown**

**nice pants**

Minhyuk looks down at his bright orange sweats decorated with hamburgers and laughs. Jooheon is grinning and Minhyuk almost can't see his eyes, but it's so worth it.

"What the hell are you doing?" Changkyun asks in confusion.

Minhyuk jumps up to tackle him to the floor and smother him in a hug.

"Let's make a party!" he yells over Changkyun's surprised and pained yelps.

Jooheon rolls around on the carpet, laughing so hard at Changkyun's reaction, it's basically soundless. They make a party. It's not like there is much else to do, it's summer vacation after all. Somehow, the place changes from the dorms to one of the fraternity houses and Minhyuk finds himself lying upside down on an old couch out on the porch.

"Do you think stars have feelings?" he asks suddenly.

He's not even sure who he's asking, he's lost the sight of Jooheon some time ago, when he was doing shots with Soonyoung and Jackson.

"You realize stars are Suns that are just very, very far away, right?"

Minhyuk groans. Great, Namjoon.

"Don't spoil him all the fun," Changkyun's voice says suddenly and Minhyuk watches the younger approach them.

It looks weird from this angle and makes him kind of sick. He probably drank too much.

"Exactly," he pouts.

Namjoon laughs and starts talking with Changkyun, and they leave, but the couch dips a few seconds later.

"You're gonna get sick, man," Jooheon says and then Minhyuk is being lifted and his head is suddenly in Jooheon's lap.

He needs to admit, those thighs are as hard as rocks. He blinks away how the world swirls and is met with that glorious neck he'd maybe want to bite into.

"Jooheon!" he whines happily. "Heon? Heonie? Honey! That's perfect! Gonna call you Honey from now on!"

Jooheon smiles down at him.

"Dude. How much did you drink?"

Minhyuk purses his lips again, ready to express how offended he is by that kind of uncute reaction, but then Jooheon leans down, his hand on Minhyuk's jaw, keeping him in place, and Minhyuk's brain short-circuits. His blood is thumping like crazy in his hears, muscles all tensed up, stomach flipping vigorously. Everything feels hot and cold at the same time and Jooheon's lips are as soft and wonderful as he imagined, only better. It's not much more than a peck, slow, chaste slide that lasts a few seconds and Minhyuk chases it once it's gone. Jooheon's hand is a constant pressure on his chest, though, and once Jooheon straightens, Minhyuk remains in his lap, breathing uneven, eyes huge, as he stares up at the younger in shock.

"I like that look on your face," Jooheon says, a smirk playing on his mouth. "Surprising you is fun."

It's the third time he's done that in the past two weeks, pulling something completely unpredictable. It's not just Minhyuk's fingers that tingle this time, it's every place Jooheon touched and his spine, it's the center of his stomach and his ears.

"You're really," Minhyuk starts, licking his lips. "Something."

Jooheon laughs, a bit husky, and Minhyuk can feel it in his chest.

"I was hoping for something more elaborate," he says.

His hand dips into Minhyuk's hair and Minhyuk smiles up at him cockily.

"Why should I give you what you want when you like shocking me like this?"

Jooheon leans down again and Minhyuk holds his breath, cinnamon and pears and something else, something soft and sweet invading his senses, but Jooheon stops an inch from his face, eyes twinkling.

"Fair enough," he says, breathless, and pulls away.

It's enough for Minhyuk to know Jooheon isn't unaffected, though, so he doesn't do anything about it. Yet. Because the game is on.

***

**To: Honey**

**u got time?**

Minhyuk chews on his lip in a poor attempt to contain his excitement. Kihyun cocks an eyebrow at him from the couch, Hoseok draped over his thighs. Minhyuk ignores them both and continues pacing around the living room. It takes too long. Maybe Jooheon is waiting him out to make him impatient like this. He bumps into something.

"You have hemorrhoids or what?" Something asks and Minhyuk reminds himself to use an actual name.

"Shut up," he tells Hyungwon, who is trying to omit him on his way to kitchen.

He doesn't have the mind to think of a witty comeback. He's in the middle of something here.

**From: Honey**

**depends**

**To: Honey**

**free coffee**

Minhyuk sits abruptly on the floor with a loud, impatient sound, and Hoseok is so startled, he falls off the couch. Kihyun laughs so much, there are actual tears in his eyes. Hyungwon joins him quickly. Minhyuk cracks a smile, but is too busy waiting for the reply to tease his friend.

**From: Honey**

**cafe?**

**To: Honey**

**b there in 30 ok?**

**From: Honey**

**sure~**

Minhyuk grins and jumps up with a delighted shout, ignoring the disapproving looks he gets from his friends and rushing to change his clothes.

"Can you even do that?" Jooheon asks, leaning on the counter.

Minhyuk shrugs. He did ask Hyunwoo for permission.

"It's not like I'm not gonna pay for it."

Jooheon hums. It's just like when Minhyuk payed attention to him at the beginning, a piece of wood between them, Minhyuk making coffee, Jooheon waiting for it, but at the same time, it's different.

Minhyuk smiles and Jooheon cautiously mimics him.

"Want me to teach you?"

So they spend the evening in an empty café, fooling around with the coffee machine. It's like they're in a movie, except a very realistic one where Jooheon gets caramel all over Minhyuk's pants and Minhyuk rubs whipped cream all over Jooheon's face, but they have to clean up after themselves and pay for everything they used.

"Don't move," Jooheon says suddenly and Minhyuk freezes.

"What, is there a bug on me? But Kihyun cleaned up two days ago!"

Jooheon shakes his head with a weird smile that seems somehow serious. Minhyuk isn't sure what it means.

"It's not a bug," Jooheon says quietly and raises his hand to slide a finger up Minhyuk's neck.

Minhyuk's skin erupts into goosebumps, breath caught in his throat. Jooheon slowly takes the hand back and licks his finger clean. Minhyuk gulps.

"Caramel," Jooheon explains.

His smile is shit eating now, challenging. Minhyuk isn't going to lose. He doesn't give Jooheon more than a few seconds of feeling smug and pins him to the counter, insides flipping at the air that escapes Jooheon's lungs in a whoosh. He leans in to bite on his earlobe and suck it into his mouth, but pulls away as soon as Jooheon lets out a small sound. Jooheon's face is red and he automatically covers his ear.

"Whipped cream," Minhyuk says nonchalantly and they're kissing.

It's different from that quick, simple thing two days before. It's almost desperate, hot, shortened breaths mingling between them. Jooheon nibbles on Minhyuk's lip and Minhyuk slips his tongue into his mouth, playful but demanding. One of them groans and Minhyuk can't tell who, everything dizzy and so good. Jooheon's hands are gripping the counter tightly, but then one of them moves to Minhyuk's hip, gripping firmly and Minhyuk gasps into Jooheon's mouth, but quickly retaliates by grabbing his hair and tagging just enough to hear a grunt in return.

They stop fighting over who has the best element of surprise only when they need to break away to get air. They stay too close for longer than necessary and Minhyuk's stomach is pulled taut and fluttering. Jooheon isn't looking him in the eye for the first minute, staring at his lips. Minhyuk licks them self-consciously.

"You promised me free coffee," Jooheon says finally.

His voice is low and rumbling and Minhyuk feels satisfied with himself for causing that.

"This was worse than free coffee?" he asks and his voice is a nightmare, too.

"Don't know, haven't tasted it yet," Jooheon says and Minhyuk huffs in amusement.

Jooheon finally looks up at him, a pretty, sincere smile growing slowly on his face. Minhyuk doesn't feel like moving away from him, but he did promise.

"I kinda want to make it shitty just so you don't have any room for hesitation while deciding, if you'd rather drink it or kiss me again," he remarks, turning to the coffee machine.

There is no response and he glances over his shoulder just to see Jooheon blinking at him with face flushed furiously.

"That," Jooheon says finally. "Was really blunt."

Minhyuk laughs.

"Get used to it. It's nearly impossible to get rid of me and you're probably not thinking of leaving town anytime soon, right?"

A hot breath on the back of his neck makes him jolt.

"Nah," Jooheon murmurs against his skin and Minhyuk is suddenly very, very still. "I'm having too much fun."

***

They go on dates. Normal ones, to the park or out to eat, but Minhyuk has never done that before. Hyunwoo wasn't the type of guy to leave home when it wasn't necessary, and it was fine, Minhyuk didn't really mind. But this, fighting over who pays for food, lying on a blanket in the park and doing nothing all day, watching movies in an actual cinema, it's so much fun. Sometimes, they do something crazy, like painting graffiti and running away not to get caught or sneaking into the abandoned pool two blocks from campus to lie down on the empty bottom of it, now covered in random weeds.

They tease each other constantly and Minhyuk quickly learns Jooheon doesn't really like skinship all that much, so he smothers him in hugs whenever he has the chance. Random kisses, especially in front of their friends, always earn him a nice reaction, and then Jooheon makes sure to have his revenge. Minhyuk is constantly kept on his toes and it's new, and he loves it.

He finds out so much about Jooheon, it feels like they've known each other for years, and his stomach still flips every time Jooheon gives him this sincere smile of his that seems to belong to Minhyuk and no one else. He knows compliments work wonders when Jooheon feels down, he knows how much Jooheon hates being left out and how long he keeps grudges, and how good of a person he is. Minhyuk knows how to read people, so it's not hard to learn all that, and they work together so well it's ridiculous.

And suddenly, summer is ending. Minhyuk has had a fair share of crushes in his life and Jooheon isn't one, not anymore. That time he deemed him two Hyunwoos worth, he was maybe being a tad dramatic, but Minhyuk thinks it might have come to be true now. When he's wondering what he feels and how much it would hurt, if his thing with Jooheon didn't work out, his mother calls.

It's the end of August and Minhyuk has to start thinking about school soon. He's on his break, enjoying a sandwich Kihyun made him this morning, and he has to acknowledge his mother's intuition to know exactly when to call.

She asks how he's doing and huffs at him that he should call home once in a while and it seems normal, but Minhyuk knows it isn't.

"Did something happen?" he asks finally after giving her a full report on what's been happening since he last called her, but not mentioning Jooheon.

He's not sure why he doesn't say anything about him, but it might be the hidden urgency in his mother's voice.

"Can you get a few days off?" she asks him after a brief silence.

"Want me to come home?" Minhyuk blinks at his sandwich.

His mother has never asked for that so directly before, he was always free to do what he wanted and live his college life in peace.

"Your father is sick," she says.

She seems worried only now and Minhyuk wonders if all mothers can hide their concerns so well. The information doesn't really register.

"Is it serious?"

"Maybe. The doctors aren't sure."

Minhyuk scans quickly his plans for the next two weeks. There is nothing important he has to do and Hyunwoo will probably let him go without problems.

"I'll come," he promises. "I need to convince Hyunwoo, I'll call you back."

It starts to eat at him only in the evening. Kihyun even stops grumbling about having to do most of the work at the café when Minhyuk's gone. He doesn't trust Seokmin to do his job properly. Minhyuk paces in the living room and Hyungwon had been increasingly annoyed by it until finally he closed himself in Kihyun's room.

"He's going to be fine," Kihyun says with a sigh and makes him sit down.

"How do you know that!" Minhyuk explodes.

He might have been a bit anxious for the past hour and a half. Kihyun looks him dead in the eye and pushes him down to lie in his lap. He almost jumps back up, but Kihyun's hand is in his hair suddenly and it's better. Minhyuk wonders if he should reopen his investigation about Kihyun being an actual magical creature. Maybe Hoseok would join him on his mission to expose his own boyfriend as a fairy. Or something.

"I know," Kihyun says. "Because I'm always right. Where the hell did your undying optimism go?"

"I don't know," Minhyuk mumbles and snuggles into his thigh. "What if it's like, cancer or something."

"They would know something like that," Kihyun says decisively. "Stop freaking out and get to packing, Jooheon will be here in half an hour."

That's the thing that makes Minhyuk finally bolt up.

"You forgot about it," Kihyun guesses flatly.

"Nope, definitely didn't forget, no, I was just, uh, absorbed and didn't know what time it is, yup, that's it!" Minhyuk yells on his way to the room.

He still manages to hear Kihyun's unbelieving snort.

***

Minhyuk is tired and stressed and guilty. He rereads the last text Jooheon sent him for an umpteenth time, biting his lip.

**From: Honey**

**u ok man? u seem off**

Minhyuk knows. He's been off since he went home and saw his father in a hospital bed, but that's not all. Since he came back, he agreed to meet up with Jooheon four times and canceled each one at the last minute. He wanted to be back. He wanted to see Jooheon and maybe tell him everything, but they have known each other for about three months. Minhyuk started to have doubts, if it's something real or just a casual, summer relationship that will end in friendship, like all of his other ones have ended. Jooheon might not want to hear heavy stuff, like the fact Minhyuk's father is sick or that he feels uncomfortable going home because said father is also a homophobic asshole. Minhyuk knows he's fucking this up all on his own, but he can't help being anxious. 

The first time he called off their date, he was just feeling shitty with the world and was afraid all he will do once he sees Jooheon is complain about his life and be grumpy and no fun at all, and they relationship was all about being fun. The next time, he convinced himself Jooheon doesn't really want to see him after he pulled off something like that. And now he's sitting in their tiny kitchen, waiting for Kihyun to come out of shower to get him to make food, and he's all jumpy and upset. 

Hyungwon is finally able to work, so left to the club an hour ago, and Minhyuk is kind of glad he's gone, but also can't bare to sit by himself. His phone vibrates, scaring the shit out of him. 

**From: Honey**

**can we talk?**

Which is exactly what Minhyuk has been waiting for and dreading since they last texted. He gulps, something hot and unpleasant making his stomach churn.

"What the hell are you doing?" Kihyun asks. Minhyuk startles again. "It's been over two weeks. Text him back."

"I don't know, I mean, what if he breaks up with me?" Minhyuk asks quietly.

Kihyun sits opposite him, drying his recently pink dyed hair with a towel. 

"Then it's gonna be your own fault," he says. Merciless and precise, as always. 

Minhyuk wants to cry, just a little. 

"I know, but it's so terrifying!" he whales. 

Kihyun sighs. 

"Look, I've known you for a long fucking time, so I know how your head works. I'm not saying I approve, because it's damn unreasonable, but I'm used to it and I accept your weirdness. Jooheon has no idea what's happening. So just man the hell up and explain it to him." 

"Man up?" Minhyuk scrunches up his nose. "That's sexist." 

"And you're changing the subject," Kihyun says and stands up. "Well, I'm going to Hoseok. Talk to him." 

Minhyuk looks back at his phone. 

"I've never taken you as a coward, Lee Minhyuk," Kihyun adds suddenly and Minhyuk looks up to see him staring intensely. "Don't make me do that now." 

Minhyuk nods. He's still terrified, but he's definitely not a coward. He can do this. 

**To: Honey**

****

****

**i dont hve the key to the cafe anymre**

**To: Honey**

**can we meet at the park in 20?**

He takes a deep breath, leg jittering impatiently. It's fine, he will explain everything and Jooheon will- 

**From: Honey**

**see u there**

Oh god, he can't do this, Jooheon will be so fucking disappointed in him, and he's going to have his heart broken again, this was a horrible idea- 

"Don't be a chicken shit!" Kihyun calls from the hallway. "I'll make you something good for breakfast, if you pull this off!" 

Another deep breath. The door opens and closes. Minhyuk discovers that apart from freaking out, he's also a bit excited. He hasn't seen Jooheon in more than three weeks, after all. He kind of wants to sniff his hair and see the magical lightbulbs in his eyes. He tries to think about that sort of things when he changes. His stomach is still in knots by the time he walks up to the familiar figure standing in front of the fountine. 

Jooheon turns to him, and he looks breathtaking. His hair has gotten so long, he could tie it up in a cute, little ponytail on the top of his head. He's dressed in a leather jacket, hands in pockets, and the way he's looking up at Minhyuk through his lashes, head hung a bit, awkward, has Minhyuk's heart lurching from like, feelings and every romantic crap he has seen in dramas, but never really experienced in real life. If Jooheon breaks up with him, it's not going to be okay after two months, he realizes suddenly. It's not going to be as simple as it was with Hyunwoo. 

"Hi," he says, a lump in his throat. 

Jooheon cocks his head to the side in that adorable way and gives him a faint smile. 

"Hi." 

A bit of tense silence. Minhyuk breaths in a lot of slightly chilly air to get strength to say actual words, but it all just whooshes out of him. He feels raw and wound up. 

"Listen," he starts anyway. "I know I've been acting like a dick this month and I am so sorry, I just-" 

"Was it even serious to you?" Jooheon cuts in suddenly. 

"What?" Minhyuk mumbles, thrown off guard. "Of course it was, it is!" 

Jooheon hangs down his head for a moment. 

"Are you sure? Because it didn't seem like it," he says finally, and his gaze is so strong and so hurt, Minhyuk's heart is attacked with a sharp ache. "I mean, I guess it's not really your fault, you never said what you wanted, so it was just me who got into it like an idiot, but you could've said something instead of just avoiding me, because that sucked." 

"I'm in love with you," Minhyuk blurts out, because it's true and he has missed Jooheon like crazy during all this time he was acting like the biggest asshole to exist. 

Jooheon seems taken aback for a second and some part of Minhyuk's brain tells him it's probably the last time he managed to surprise him. And nope, he's not going to cry at all, it's okay. 

"Really?" Jooheon says quietly, full of doubt, and Minhyuk's chest clenches. "Do you always ignore someone you're in love with?" 

It hurts, but Minhyuk knows he deserves that. He deserves whatever painful things Jooheon decides to throw at him. 

"I'm sorry," he tries again, voice breaking. "Just give me a chance to explain, okay? I'll tell you everything that happened." 

Jooheon considers him for a long minute, the wind messing up his white, tied up hair. Minhyuk feels cold inside and out. He should have brought a jacket. 

"Okay," Jooheon says finally. 

Minhyuk almost falls down from sudden relief. 

"Can we go somewhere else?" he asks, fully aware he's pushing it. 

"You said the café is closed," Jooheon points out. 

"There is no one in the apartment right now," Minhyuk says. 

He needs time to think it over. Jooheon nods. They walk slowly and Minhyuk starts to think it was a bad idea, after all. His mind is in chaos and he's just working himself up. There are words in his head, but they're not in any order, just a jumbled mess of apologies, excuses and explanations. He's jittery by the time they reach the apartment. 

"You want some ginger tea?" he asks frantically, going to the kitchen and opening the cupboards. 

"It's only September," Jooheon points out from behind him. 

"Right," Minhyuk says. "It's too warm for ginger tea. You want any other tea or a coffee or something? I can make it real quick and-" 

"Minhyuk," Jooheon interrupts calmly. 

"Right," Minhyuk repeats. He turns to face him with a deep breath. 

Jooheon is leaning against the door, waiting. Minhyuk thinks he's too patient. It's unnerving. 

"You know how I like people and being with them gives me energy and hypes me up and all that?" 

Jooheon nods slowly, as if considering his words very carefully. Minhyuk huffs, messes with his hair, squeezes the edge of the counter until it bites into his skin. 

"It's not always like that," he admits. 

Jooheon frowns just a bit and makes a step forward. 

"That's normal, right? Everyone would have enough at some point," he says, still so damn calm. 

Minhyuk blinks at him. 

"Seriously?" 

Jooheon seems weirdly alarmed. 

"Are you saying you feel bad for needing some time to yourself?" 

Minhyuk grips the shirt on his stomach, uneasy. 

"Not exactly, I mean, everyone thinks I don't get tired of being happy and around people, and I guess I feel kinda bad they don't know I can be irritable and all that." 

Jooheon sighs and takes a sit at the table, boring his gaze into Minhyuk. Minhyuk feels kind of cornered and too exposed. 

"Are you trying to tell me you've been avoiding me because you didn't want me to know you're a properly functioning human being that needs time for himself once in a while?" 

"Yes," Minhyuk says. "But also no. Listen, you're important and I didn't want to show you this side of myself because I didn't want you to be disappointed in me, that's true and I know it's fucked up and you're not that kind of person, but-" 

"You're aware that's exactly where we ended up because I am seriously disappointed right now?" Jooheon cuts in. 

Minhyuk grips his shirt more tightly. Okay, he's going to be fine, even if Jooheon doesn't want to know him anymore. It's cool. 

"I know," he says quietly. "I'm sorry. I just do this thing that when I fuck up, I'm paranoid about how it looked and what everyone thought of me, so I avoid the issue and end up fucking it up even more." 

Jooheon runs a hand through his hair. 

"Couldn't you have just told me that in the first place? It's cool, I woulda helped you fix it, man." 

"I wish I had," Minhyuk sighs. He's really frustrated about himself. "But it wouldn't be a problem, if it was so simple." 

Jooheon squints at the table. 

"Okay, that's fair," he says finally. "Can you tell me why you stood me up the first time?" 

Minhyuk takes another breath. He feels really weak and his insides are tangled up painfully. 

"My dad got sick and I had to go home, but then when I came back, it seemed too much to talk to you about my problems, because you never said what you wanted either, so I didn't want to worry you with my life." 

There is silence for a moment. 

"You dumbass," Jooheon says softly. "I don't have to say what I want for you to share such things. We're friends too, I would have supported you, if only because of that." 

Minhyuk didn't expect that. There is a chance he might start crying any moment now, because Jooheon looks like an angel and probably is an angel, and Minhyuk doesn't deserve him. 

"I'm sorry," he says probably for a tenth time and tries to at least get his voice together. "I know I'm difficult, but I've been so tired of everything since my mom called and I just wanted to spare you the mess." 

Jooheon looks at him for a moment, unreadable, and then he stands up. 

"You're not difficult," he says, stopping right in front of Minhyuk. "You're just scared to be yourself, because you live on other people's expectations of you," he raises one hand to cup Minhyuk's cheek and Minhyuk's heart stutters. "But if you're in love with me, you gotta fucking trust me, dude, because I can help you figure things out and that's how relationships work." 

Minhyuk doesn't cry, but it's a close call. Jooheon just gathers him up in his arms to hug him and Minhyuk still doesn't know what that one thing except for cinnamon and pears is, but it's intoxicating. 

"Does that mean," he asks carefully. "You don't want me to spare you the mess?" 

"Yup," Jooheon says. "You told me it's really hard to get rid of you, well, I guess it works both ways, my man." 

"I was so sure you're gonna throw an innuendo there," Minhyuk mumbles, a smile pulling slowly at his lips. 

Jooheon is warm and Minhyuk probably won't find a better person to cuddle with in his whole life. 

"What, like guess what else is hard?" Jooheon says and Minhyuk can feel his grin on his own neck. 

"Awesome," he smiles widely. "I knew I wanted to keep you for a reason." 

"Asshole," Jooheon says. "Make me that ginger tea now." 

*** 

"We so shouldn't be here," Minhyuk giggles. 

Jooheon presses him against a desk and grins, hands sliding down to his hips. 

"You love it," he murmurs into his skin. 

"I had no idea you were such a bad boy," Minhyuk teases, already breathless. 

"Just stop talking and kiss me, we don't have much time," Jooheon growls right into his mouth and it's so damn hot. 

And because that's what they do, Minhyuk doesn't listen to him at all. 

"You shoulda told me you're such an exhibitionist," he says, pulling away just out of reach. 

"You shoulda told me you like breaking rules," Jooheon counters, nibbling on his jaw. 

"Isn't it exciting?" Minhyuk asks, fingers dipping into his hair. His voice sounds husky. "Don't you feel the adrenaline of the possibility we're gonna get caught where we-" 

"Definitely shouldn't be making out." 

They both jump, startled, but Jooheon doesn't let go of him, just turns around to look at Yoo Youngjae. 

"What the hell," Minhyuk whines. "You weren't actually supposed to catch us!" 

"Like I care," Youngjae scoffs. "Get the hell out. How did you even get the key?" 

"Don't be so grumpy," Minhyuk huffs. "Like you never sneak in here to make out with Daehyun. Or Jaebum. Or both." 

Jooheon gasps. 

"Seriously?" 

"You didn't know?" Minhyuk says. 

This is awesome. Youngjae doesn't seem to think so. 

"No," he says coldly. "It's a club room, not a hotel." 

"You're one of two people in this club!" Minhyuk protests. "Can't you lend it to us for a bit? You barely even use it!" 

"No," Youngjae repeats and gestures to the door. 

"Oh come on!" Minhyuk whines again. 

Youngjae glares at him and then turns to Jooheon. 

"You're not gonna say anything?" 

"You kidding, man? I'm having so much fun," Jooheon says with a cute dimply smile. 

Minhyuk wants to pinch his cheeks and he also wants to make him snap. There is a lot more to Jooheon than he has ever dreamt of and he's going to bring all of that to the surface. Like weird kinks. Minhyuk is sure Jooheon has plenty of those, even if he's such a nice, squishy guy on a normal basis. 

"Okay, let me repeat myself. Get. The hell. Out," Youngjae mutters darkly. 

Minhyuk rolls his eyes and pulls Jooheon to the door. 

"Fine, loser. Just remember what you said to us the next time Daehyun drags you in here. Sucks to be a hypocrite." 

Youngjae doesn't dignify it with an answer. He shuts the door behind them instead. Minhyuk huffs at it, like it personally offended him. 

"Let's get chicken and you'll tell me about that horrible professor you have to deal with this semester," Jooheon says and laces their fingers together. 

Minhyuk could get used to it. 

"Ugh, he's such a monster, seriously," he starts, letting Jooheon lead him to the food place. 

Jooheon looks at him like he's really interested in whatever Minhyuk has to say and his eyes are twinkling in the afternoon sun, and Minhyuk doesn't even mind much that their only overlapping free period didn't end with an intense make out session. 

"Aw, that sucks, man," Jooheon scrunches up his nose in sympathy and Minhyuk's stomach flips. 

He feels giddy and even though not everything is good, his classes are tough and his dad has to frequently visit hospital, he thinks he might be happy. 

"Hey," Jooheon says after they're done with chicken wings and try to see which one of them finishes his milkshake first. "There is a bathroom here." 

Minhyuk blinks at him incredulously. Jooheon's delicious lips are stretched into a sharp smirk. Minhyuk drinks the last of his milkshake, his straw making filthy slurping sounds. 

"Lee Jooheon, you are a mysterious man indeed," he says. "You're the one explaining yourself, if they catch us." 

"Whoever is louder explains himself, if they catch us," Jooheon suggests. 

Minhyuk's fingers tingle. He thinks he might need to get used to it. 

"Deal."

**Author's Note:**

> for anyone wondering, Hoseok might have told Kihyun he doesn't need him in his life while they were arguing and then gotten himself drunk and made out with someone else at a party, but if you thought of something else, im not gonna spoil it for ya
> 
> kudos and comments appreciated ^^


End file.
